


#8: Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should

by Knitwritezombie (Missa_G)



Series: 100 Rules for Adults (That Clint Barton Never Learned) [8]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angry Phil, M/M, impulsive clint, mentions of dog fighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-01
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-02-19 12:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2388749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missa_G/pseuds/Knitwritezombie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint does something dangerous. Phil doesn't like it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	#8: Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should

Phil was pissed. Like, if he’d been a cartoon character, Clint swore steam would have been coming out of his ears.

Damn. It looked like he was going to be sleeping on the couch tonight.

He remained standing at more-or-less attention in front of Phil’s desk, his uniform still splattered with dirt, blood, and grime, while Phil continued to type on whatever was capturing his attention. Clint had only been back on base for forty minutes, just long enough to get through his medical check before being ordered to report to Coulson’s office. It had been a quickie op, and Clint’s diversion aside, it had gone according to plan.

“Could you explain,” Phil said, dead calm, “why you felt it was necessary to abandon your post and involve yourself in a situation that was not only not part of the operation at hand, but which was quite significantly out of our jurisdiction?”

Yeah. Phil was furious. Though there was something else simmering there under the anger. It wasn’t an emotion Clint could recall seeing in the other man before.

“My part of the operation was completed,” Clint reported matter-of-factly. “I had been recalled to the extraction point, so technically I didn’t abandon my post. Sir.”

Phil levelled him with a glare that usually had the junior agents scurrying in the opposite direction.

“I couldn’t let it continue, Phil,” Clint said. “I was able to stop it, so I did.”

“You jumped into the middle of a dog fight, Clint,” Phil said, sounding exasperated. “Initial report from the scene indicates you took on 15 men, not to mention the dogs, single handedly.”

Clint shrugged. The dogs had all been in bad shape, either from the fights or the way they had been treated by their handlers/owners. Most of the men had been drunk or high, which made them easy enough to deal with. He hadn’t killed any of the men, though when he’d seen the dogs in the kennels it had been a close thing. Once he’d had all of the men secured, he’d called in the local cops and beaten a path to the extraction point. He technically hadn’t even been late.

“Jesus,” Phil said, dropping his head into his hands. “You don’t get it, do you?” His words were muffled by his palms. He lifted his head, bracing his palms on his desk. “You could have been seriously injured. You could have _died_ ,” Phil said. “And no one would have known where to look for you because you went off the fucking mission!” Phil’s voice rose steadily until he was yelling the last few words.

And then it clicked. That emotion that Clint hadn’t been able to place: it was fear. 

“I’m sorry,” Clint said quietly, meaning it. “I didn’t think. I just saw a situation I could help and –“

“And you jumped right in like you always do,” Phil said, sounding a bit deflated, but he met Clint’s eyes. “You wouldn’t be the man I have grown to care very deeply about if you didn’t do what you felt was right.” His smile was a bit sad and lopsided. “But Jesus, Clint, couldn’t you at least have let the Agent in Charge know what you were doing?”

“I should have,” Clint admitted, looking down at his boots. He could see where Phil was coming from. Clint had thrown himself into a dangerous situation without letting anyone on his team know where he was or what he was doing. If he’d been overpowered, injured or captured or otherwise compromised, no one would have had any idea where he’d gone or how to find him. 

“Yes,” Phil agreed. He rose, tugging his cuffs down and smoothing the lapels of his jacket before buttoning it. “You’re on report for a week for not following protocol,” he said, coming around his desk. “Ms. Blevins in the cafeteria has been asking for an assistant. You’re the trial run to see if it’s really necessary.”

Clint grimaced, but didn’t say anything. As far as punishments went, it was pretty light, but Ms. Blevins was what Clint imagined lunch ladies in public schools were like: brusque, stern, and no-nonsense, especially when an agent tried to offer helpful advice about the food service.

“Hey,” Phil said, coming to stop in front of Clint.

Clint met his eyes. 

“I’m proud of you for what you did today,” he said quietly. “But you scared the shit out of me when Chancey said you’d gone off comms.”

Clint nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said again. 

“I know you are,” Phil said, sliding a hand up Clint’s arm to curl around the back of his neck, pulling Clint’s head down so their foreheads rested together. “I just need you to think beyond the moment when you jump into situations like that.”

“I’ll try,” Clint replied, the defiance having seeped out of him at some point.

“Okay,” Phil said, giving his neck a squeeze before letting go and stepping back a pace. “Come on. I’m done for today, and you need a shower. Let’s go home.”


End file.
